Can a lowly teenager build a DF Goblin?

[PyroGuy923]

What about renting a storage unit to use as a garage?

 

[WYGoblin]

What about renting a storage unit to use as a garage?

I have a storage unit I did my teardown and started my build in. It worked but inconvenient. I did get a lot more accomplished and seemed quicker when I moved it to my garage and moved my "travel" car to the unit. You will have to check with the ppl you would rent from and make sure it is ok to do work in there. There are some that just allow storage and not work in there, but it is a good idea if they do allow it. Might cost a little bit for rent but worth it for working inside and keeping everything together.

 

[Dakota8800]

I agree with Brian on this one 100% . Do you need to have a supercharged or a turbo car? you can start with a base model and still have fun. you could always add on the supercharger or turbo .

Certainly not. I plan on starting with a base model and eventually supercharging if I want more power.

 

[Dakota8800]

I have a storage unit I did my teardown and started my build in. It worked but inconvenient. I did get a lot more accomplished and seemed quicker when I moved it to my garage and moved my "travel" car to the unit. You will have to check with the ppl you would rent from and make sure it is ok to do work in there. There are some that just allow storage and not work in there, but it is a good idea if they do allow it. Might cost a little bit for rent but worth it for working inside and keeping everything together.

I have some friends and maybe a stepbrother that will supply me with some working space, but if not I will be willing to pay to rent a storage unit. Storage is cheap in Ardmore, OK!

 

[Dakota8800]

Again, thank you everyone for the comments and support! I definitely have the confidence to start building! You will be hearing from me toward the end of the summer I'm sure!

 

[ncgoblin]

Can a teenager build a DF Goblin? This is a prime time to build a car for you. Your generation is smart and has many available resources to build: Forum, YouTube, Alldatadiy, Facetime, Remote Tuning from ZZP.

I have owned a S2000s, CBR, Hayabusa, 4 wheelers and the true fun hands down is the Goblin. I wish I had the opportunity to ask this question as you do when I was 19 and have a company like DF provide such an awesome project.

1. The very first thing you should do is create a favorites folder in a cloud drive so you can access it from your phone.
2. Next is browse the build logs and all interesting forum posts. If you find a part or suggestion you like save it now. This site search is a challenge.
3. Save any penny you can. Sell something you use maybe 3-4 hours a week. Don't sell something you use a lot like a inexpensive car or a gaming console it may be a while before you can dive into buying the initial kit you can never have enough money every project costs more then expected.
4. You may already have access to a mechanical software but if not alldatadiy is cheap buy it.
5. Search for a donor now! Post here on opinions before buying. The donor is the least inexpensive part and also the lowest risk of the project. You can sell donor parts if you decide to back. Once that goblin kit arrives its a huge challenge and cost hit to turn back.

The Goblin is a kit its uncommon but not completely desired for resale. What you put into this build you will not get out on resale in most cases. This may be a bad analogy but I like to compare building a car to hunting. I can go buy my meat and if my kids do not eat it tossing it to the dog or trash psychologically does not bother me much. But when I hunt, skin, package and then cook my meat you better guarantee nothing is wasted and it just tastes better. This is the difference between building a car and buying one. Goblin kit you will learn electrical, mechanical, a bit fabrication, and have experienced engineers assisting a long the way. If you do not like people asking what your car is or giving you thumbs up on the daily do not buy this kit.

About how many hours did it take you? No kids 150-200 with kids 300.

How much does it cost? See below
The bare kit is about $9,500 with track version. You then have to include donor which will be an additional $2-$3,000 sometimes you get lucky and pick one up for $1,000. There is chance the engine is good or not add an additional $2,000 for engine rebuild.

So at this point you have a running cobalt $14,500 is a decent budget for mechanical. You will then want to powder coat because rattle can will scratch very easily this is a new experience you want a strong paint for accidents along the way. Powder coating is roughly $1000 on average for the frame and all small parts. Make sure to have a plan exactly of what you want powder coated before making the call. A lot of parts can be painted with a can the primary focus here is the areas that take a beating and are not stainless.

The total is now $15,500.

Add additional mistake cost $500-$1,000

$16,500 is what I would budget for at a minimum for a supercharged or turbo goblin.

Unless you have the disposable income I highly recommend buying any panels or hood until the build is complete. You will constantly be removing the hood to make adjustments for at least 6 months. Take it to an auto cross track don't worry about scratching the panels. Get familiar with the mechanical aspect of the car. Then when your comfortable buy all the cosmetic parts.

How much do I have in my car? Well I had a spreadsheet and it stopped at $18k which I felt the car was complete. I then picked up autocross bought a separate set of wheels, hoosier tires, building a new engine, new clutch. I would say around $25K invested?

I have experienced the build process, the community, the performance. Would I do it again? No questions hell yes!

 

[ncgoblin]

Certainly not. I plan on starting with a base model and eventually supercharging if I want more power.

The decision of the base, supercharged, or turbo IMO can only be decided based on your past vehicles, and what you plan to do with the car. Would you like to track, AutoX, street?

For example I planned to AutoX and have owned moderately fast vehicles and very fast bikes. I knew that instant power was critical in AutoX and the cost of supercharged was cheaper then Turbo so I went supercharged. The cost is much lower on NA but to upgrade can be $$$.

 

[Dakota8800]

Can a teenager build a DF Goblin? This is a prime time to build a car for you. Your generation is smart and has many available resources to build: Forum, YouTube, Alldatadiy, Facetime, Remote Tuning from ZZP.

I have owned a S2000s, CBR, Hayabusa, 4 wheelers and the true fun hands down is the Goblin. I wish I had the opportunity to ask this question as you do when I was 19 and have a company like DF provide such an awesome project.

1. The very first thing you should do is create a favorites folder in a cloud drive so you can access it from your phone.
2. Next is browse the build logs and all interesting forum posts. If you find a part or suggestion you like save it now. This site search is a challenge.
3. Save any penny you can. Sell something you use maybe 3-4 hours a week. Don't sell something you use a lot like a inexpensive car or a gaming console it may be a while before you can dive into buying the initial kit you can never have enough money every project costs more then expected.
4. You may already have access to a mechanical software but if not alldatadiy is cheap buy it.
5. Search for a donor now! Post here on opinions before buying. The donor is the least inexpensive part and also the lowest risk of the project. You can sell donor parts if you decide to back. Once that goblin kit arrives its a huge challenge and cost hit to turn back.

The Goblin is a kit its uncommon but not completely desired for resale. What you put into this build you will not get out on resale in most cases. This may be a bad analogy but I like to compare building a car to hunting. I can go buy my meat and if my kids do not eat it tossing it to the dog or trash psychologically does not bother me much. But when I hunt, skin, package and then cook my meat you better guarantee nothing is wasted and it just tastes better. This is the difference between building a car and buying one. Goblin kit you will learn electrical, mechanical, a bit fabrication, and have experienced engineers assisting a long the way. If you do not like people asking what your car is or giving you thumbs up on the daily do not buy this kit.

About how many hours did it take you? No kids 150-200 with kids 300.

How much does it cost? See below
The bare kit is about $9,500 with track version. You then have to include donor which will be an additional $2-$3,000 sometimes you get lucky and pick one up for $1,000. There is chance the engine is good or not add an additional $2,000 for engine rebuild.

So at this point you have a running cobalt $14,500 is a decent budget for mechanical. You will then want to powder coat because rattle can will scratch very easily this is a new experience you want a strong paint for accidents along the way. Powder coating is roughly $1000 on average for the frame and all small parts. Make sure to have a plan exactly of what you want powder coated before making the call. A lot of parts can be painted with a can the primary focus here is the areas that take a beating and are not stainless.

The total is now $15,500.

Add additional mistake cost $500-$1,000

$16,500 is what I would budget for at a minimum for a supercharged or turbo goblin.

Unless you have the disposable income I highly recommend buying any panels or hood until the build is complete. You will constantly be removing the hood to make adjustments for at least 6 months. Take it to an auto cross track don't worry about scratching the panels. Get familiar with the mechanical aspect of the car. Then when your comfortable buy all the cosmetic parts.

How much do I have in my car? Well I had a spreadsheet and it stopped at $18k which I felt the car was complete. I then picked up autocross bought a separate set of wheels, hoosier tires, building a new engine, new clutch. I would say around $25K invested?

I have experienced the build process, the community, the performance. Would I do it again? No questions hell yes!

 

[Dakota8800]

Can a teenager build a DF Goblin? This is a prime time to build a car for you. Your generation is smart and has many available resources to build: Forum, YouTube, Alldatadiy, Facetime, Remote Tuning from ZZP.

I have owned a S2000s, CBR, Hayabusa, 4 wheelers and the true fun hands down is the Goblin. I wish I had the opportunity to ask this question as you do when I was 19 and have a company like DF provide such an awesome project.

1. The very first thing you should do is create a favorites folder in a cloud drive so you can access it from your phone.
2. Next is browse the build logs and all interesting forum posts. If you find a part or suggestion you like save it now. This site search is a challenge.
3. Save any penny you can. Sell something you use maybe 3-4 hours a week. Don't sell something you use a lot like a inexpensive car or a gaming console it may be a while before you can dive into buying the initial kit you can never have enough money every project costs more then expected.
4. You may already have access to a mechanical software but if not alldatadiy is cheap buy it.
5. Search for a donor now! Post here on opinions before buying. The donor is the least inexpensive part and also the lowest risk of the project. You can sell donor parts if you decide to back. Once that goblin kit arrives its a huge challenge and cost hit to turn back.

The Goblin is a kit its uncommon but not completely desired for resale. What you put into this build you will not get out on resale in most cases. This may be a bad analogy but I like to compare building a car to hunting. I can go buy my meat and if my kids do not eat it tossing it to the dog or trash psychologically does not bother me much. But when I hunt, skin, package and then cook my meat you better guarantee nothing is wasted and it just tastes better. This is the difference between building a car and buying one. Goblin kit you will learn electrical, mechanical, a bit fabrication, and have experienced engineers assisting a long the way. If you do not like people asking what your car is or giving you thumbs up on the daily do not buy this kit.

About how many hours did it take you? No kids 150-200 with kids 300.

How much does it cost? See below
The bare kit is about $9,500 with track version. You then have to include donor which will be an additional $2-$3,000 sometimes you get lucky and pick one up for $1,000. There is chance the engine is good or not add an additional $2,000 for engine rebuild.

So at this point you have a running cobalt $14,500 is a decent budget for mechanical. You will then want to powder coat because rattle can will scratch very easily this is a new experience you want a strong paint for accidents along the way. Powder coating is roughly $1000 on average for the frame and all small parts. Make sure to have a plan exactly of what you want powder coated before making the call. A lot of parts can be painted with a can the primary focus here is the areas that take a beating and are not stainless.

The total is now $15,500.

Add additional mistake cost $500-$1,000

$16,500 is what I would budget for at a minimum for a supercharged or turbo goblin.

Unless you have the disposable income I highly recommend buying any panels or hood until the build is complete. You will constantly be removing the hood to make adjustments for at least 6 months. Take it to an auto cross track don't worry about scratching the panels. Get familiar with the mechanical aspect of the car. Then when your comfortable buy all the cosmetic parts.

How much do I have in my car? Well I had a spreadsheet and it stopped at $18k which I felt the car was complete. I then picked up autocross bought a separate set of wheels, hoosier tires, building a new engine, new clutch. I would say around $25K invested?

I have experienced the build process, the community, the performance. Would I do it again? No questions hell yes!

Thanks for the detailed post!
My current car is a G35 sedan. While it is decently quick, I am drunk for some better handling and something a little more unique.
I will likely have to suck it up and sell a couple things. I created a spreadsheet for expenses and cost for everything over the summer and it is a little too close to my liking.
Though not exactly the most financially efficient build path, I plan on starting with a base model and then turbocharging or supercharging later. This way there is less upfront cost and the build is a little simpler.

I don't plan on selling the goblin any time soon after I complete it, but this is useful information nonetheless.
Most importantly, one of the main reasons I want to start this project is to learn. I expect to learn a ton through this kit car.

 

[Dakota8800]

The decision of the base, supercharged, or turbo IMO can only be decided based on your past vehicles, and what you plan to do with the car. Would you like to track, AutoX, street?

For example I planned to AutoX and have owned moderately fast vehicles and very fast bikes. I knew that instant power was critical in AutoX and the cost of supercharged was cheaper then Turbo so I went supercharged. The cost is much lower on NA but to upgrade can be $$$.

I own a G35 sedan, which is a pretty fun car, but I want some more unique and with better handling.
The fascinating thing is that even a base Goblin is quicker than my G35 on paper. I will start will the base car for less upfront cost and eventually look into probably a ZZP supercharger kit.

 

[Ark :D]

I planned on getting a nice tarp and probably some bungee cables when the time comes.

Do you have squirrels around? Raccoons? ....birds? Or any other wiley varmints around that would get up under there and build a nest of some kind?

Just trying to think ahead and save you some trouble, lol!

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

When you are finally ready to purchase a donor I highly recommend finding one from west Texas, New Mexico or Arizona to minimize part corrosion issues. Forking over a few more bucks for a rust free car is far better than replacing corroded part, fasteners, etc. that may cost more in the end.
Are you looking for a manual or automatic transmission? A manual Cobalt will cost more, generally, but the the fun factor is better - if that is the path you are wanting to go. When you are ready to look and buy, be sure to ask your forum family since we are all over the country and can find potential candidate donor's pretty quickly.

 

[dperkins]

Being a teenager myself, I can say with 1000% certainty that the entire project can be done solo with the internet as your main resource. Every problem you come across will be able to be solved by some sleuthing around on forums and YouTube. Space can be an issue, but keeping all your parts sorted and put to the side helps and insures that you won't lose anything. Just take your time with it, and if you have any questions, stop what you're doing, and ask us or google. Saved me many times from screwing something up.

 

[Jcas]

Today was the first day that we got to enjoy ours on the road and it is so much fun. Ours is still NA but considering it has taken a great weight reduction from Cobalt to Goblin it is so light and nimble. We were sipping coffee and taking 35 mph corners at 50 plus and the car was wanting more. I have been pleasantly please with power but I still have plans to supercharge.

As for your question can a teenager build one hands down no problem. First you can read and reply here 2/3rds problem solved. Second it seems you have a screw loose like the rest of us here and just have to have something unusual.

It is a hoot to just drive. You get so many reactions from a surprising amount of people. When I went to weigh the car at the cat scale it took almost 1 1/2 hours to do a 1/2 job. So quick runs to the store don't happen.

So with that make a plan stick to it and build your dream while you can.

 

[Dakota8800]

Today was the first day that we got to enjoy ours on the road and it is so much fun. Ours is still NA but considering it has taken a great weight reduction from Cobalt to Goblin it is so light and nimble. We were sipping coffee and taking 35 mph corners at 50 plus and the car was wanting more. I have been pleasantly please with power but I still have plans to supercharge.

As for your question can a teenager build one hands down no problem. First you can read and reply here 2/3rds problem solved. Second it seems you have a screw loose like the rest of us here and just have to have something unusual.

It is a hoot to just drive. You get so many reactions from a surprising amount of people. When I went to weigh the car at the cat scale it took almost 1 1/2 hours to do a 1/2 job. So quick runs to the store don't happen.

So with that make a plan stick to it and build your dream while you can.

Awesome! Congrats on getting it driving!
I was planning to get a base model Cobalt as well, but found a deal I couldn't pass up!
I'm so excited now that I have my donor. Just have to save some funds!

I definitely do have a screw loose I suppose! A goblin seems like it is really everything I want in a car!
Quick
Unusual
Good gas mileage
Nimble
Stupid easy to modify to your liking!